Letter: Social services acts as a barometer

Editor: Saturday's St. Augustine Record had a most informative supplement, the first in three promised installments, titled Progress '03. The first dealing with business and real estate with subsequent editions looking at health and recreation, government and education, and tourism. I am hopeful that also included will be the impact of the social service sector.

As noted in today's article on the collaboration among those from Habitat for Humanity, St. Johns Housing Partnership, Council on Aging, and county government, the social service sector is essential to our quality of life and to our progress.

For the past two years I have chaired the United Way Agency Directors Association. Composed of the 31 executive directors of United Way member agencies, we are currently at work on describing the economic impact of this important sector. The combined totals of people employed, goods and services purchased, and dollars secured to meet critical community needs is substantial. Added to this is the monumental impact of volunteer service hours -- into the hundreds of thousands -- which make the social service sector essential to our community's quality of life.

Only the most ignorant or uninformed resident would think of the social service sector as mere charity work or welfare. Instead, those who labor with such dedication in the social service sector do so as stewards of vital community values: to assist those who cannot help themselves; to provide a compassionate response to those in need; to encourage and inspire everyone to seek their highest good.

While historical funding streams have changed in recent times, these agencies soldier on, looking for new sources of financial support. We are fortunate to have such an enlightened county government, whose commissioners understand the benefit of funding programs which work to strengthen the fabric of our community. They recognize the value of an ongoing cost/benefit analysis of all agencies and share the mutual goal of accountability.

Additionally, the United Way board is composed of 60 community leaders who are committed to "increasing the organized capacity of people to care for one another." Their heady fund goal for this year is $1 million! And with our community's record of compassion and concern I am certain they will be successful! These funds assist the myriad agencies and serve as a barometer of how we see ourselves as a caring community.

I am writing to urge that the social service sector be included as one of the pillars of our progress as a community.